Heretofore soft to the touch components such as switch buttons used in vehicles had been manufactured by first molding the component out of a clear thermoset silicone material. The molded component is then painted with the silicone ink of the desired color for the surface of the component of the part, and graphics are laser etched through the thin top layer of the silicone paint. This process may, under certain circumstances, have an adverse environmental impact. Further, often the quality of the backlit color is difficult to control.
The present invention provides advantages over and alternatives to the prior art.